Do I Have to Tell Companies House When I Move to a New House?
You're obligated to inform Companies House when you move house or make other changes in your company like issuing new shares. Just as the incorporation process is open and transparent, so is running a company in the UK. All information presented to Companies House during incorporation must remain current as long as the business exists.
Hence, even though your home address isn't recorded as a registered office or service address, the rule mainly applies to company directors or Persons with Significant Control (PSC).
After incorporation, Companies House expects you to practice good business housekeeping, which involves correct filing, up-to-date records, and updating necessary bodies.
Why Should Companies House Know I'm Moving?
UK companies function on transparency and open communication, which is why Companies House requires PSCs and directors to provide their home addresses.
The main reason as to why Companies House asks business owners to inform the registrar about relevant changes is:
- To maintain corporate transparency
- Counter economic crime
The information Companies House expects to stay up to date is not only the home address but also disclosure of business activities, details of the owner(s) and whoever is running the business.
Thus, after registering a company in the UK, you must divulge information about every director, shareholder, and PSC. The information you provide is published on the UK Register of Companies, which is accessible to the public. Anyone interested in finding any information about the company, its directors, or PSC can search the info accessible online via the Companies House service.
When there's a legal requirement from the police for a company, Companies House provides the home addresses of business owners and public authority requirements for credit purposes.
NOTE: During incorporation, Companies House asks every company to provide two addresses: regular residential and service. The business service address is displayed on public records, but the home address remains private unless it doubles up as a registered office address or service address.
How Do You Tell Companies House After a Move?
Updating the details of registered businesses at Companies House is a straightforward process. Reporting any changes in your company to the registrar is free, apart from changing the company name.
Whenever changes are reported to Companies House, the updates are reflected on the public record within 24 hours.
You can notify Companies House of the changes in your company from their website services or use a formations company.
Updating Change of a Director's Home Address
When a director changes their home address, you complete the details on form CH01 with the new information. You must submit these changes to Companies House within 14 days; the fastest way is online. Here are the details you must have to complete the form:
- Full company name
- Company Registration Number (CRN)
- Director's full name
- Month and year of director's birth
- Date the home address changed
- New home address, including postcode
- Service address
Form CH01 can also be used to notify the registrar of changes like:
- A director's name
- Service address
- Country of residence
- Nationality
- Business occupation
Reporting a Change in PSC's Home Address
When a person with Significant Control in the company changes their home address, you complete form PSC04. Likewise, to report a director's address change to Companies House, you must report the change in a PSC's home address must be submitted within 28 days. You must have these details when reporting the change:
- Company Registration Number (CRN)
- Full company name
- Date of change of the residential address
- Month and year of PSC's birth
- New residential address, including postcode
- New service address
- Date when the new address was updated on the PSC company register.
- Declare if the PSC member is exempt or has applied for exemption (where applicable) from disclosing their residential address to credit reference agencies.
How to Apply for Exemption of Disclosing Home Address
If your residential address doubles as your company's registered office address, Companies House can't remove it from the company register. However, in some instances, directors and PSCs can apply to Companies House to remove their home address if used as their service address. You can also apply for the same information to be
However, there are certain circumstances where directors and PSCs can request Companies House to remove their home address details (when it is used as their service address) from the public record. Additionally, you can ask for this information to be concealed from credit reference agencies.
These exemptions are applied separately. An associated fee might apply on form SR01 from GOV.UK website. Once Companies House receives the request for exemption or removal from public record, the form you complete must be submitted to the registrar, including a check or postal order for £55.00.
NOTE: Some reasons exemptions are requested include company activities that pose a potential risk of intimidation or violence. However, your request isn't granted by the registrar if you don't provide evidence to support your claim:
- A police incident number
- Evidence of threat (media files)
- Evidence of potential disruption
- Proof of potential risk from your elite company proving its activities need discretion like the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)
Apply for exemption in either of the two ways below:
- Send a request via email to Companies House at [email protected].
- Call 0303 1234 500 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 6 pm) to request a form. Both methods will charge you a £100 fee.
Other Changes You Must Report to Companies House
Companies must inform HMRC if these changes happen:
- Business' change of contact details like name, gender, business name, trading address
- Appointment of an accountant or tax adviser
You must report these changes to Companies House within 14 days:
- A change of address where company records are kept and the records you stay there
- Director personal details like their address
- Personal information of People with Significant Control, like a new address
- Appointing a new secretary or removing an existing one
Whenever a company issues new shares, you must inform Companies House within a month of issuance.
Changes that Need Shareholders' Approval
Some changes in a company need approval; hence, shareholders must vote for the following to happen:
- Change the company's name
- Remove a director
- Modify the company's articles of association
The approval vote is known as 'passing a resolution,' and most resolutions need a majority of shareholders to agree (ordinary resolution). Some changes might require a majority of 75%, and it's known as a special resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information should I send to Companies House?
All UK-registered companies must send information to Companies House. The information includes annual accounts, filing confirmation statements, and any changes that a company undergoes.
How do I notify the Companies House of Directors changes?
If you have multiple director changes to report, you can notify Companies House via filing software. Alternatively, you can also notify the registrar of changes in your company via post. You get the appropriate form, complete it, and then send it to Companies House.
Can anyone access the Companies House records?
Companies House records are on public record; anyone can access them for free online. You can get detailed information like company name, company type, nature of business, and company status - trading or dissolved.
Who is to be notified after closing my business?
When you want to close your company, notify HMRC to ensure you no longer pay Corporation Tax, VAT, and PAYE scheme payments. In turn, HMRC will issue you a notification informing you of your company's deregistration date. During this time, you should set apart personally owned assets from those owned by the company.
Can I keep my address private in the UK?
You can keep your address private by using alternatives like a virtual address. The virtual address shields the exact location of a business for anyone who needs protection against vulnerable circumstances. With a virtual address, you create a secure solution for receiving and handling correspondence in person.
Incorporate Your Company with Incorpuk Today
At Incorpuk, we will help you file accurate information when you register your company through us. We will help you with incorporation articles, a registered office address, and all you may need to register your company in the UK. Contact our team if you seek any information; we will gladly assist.
In Summary
The Companies House online service is a fast and efficient way to update your business details. The registrar requires you to notify them within 14 days of some changes and 28 days for others.
You must submit these updates promptly and correctly to ensure Companies House updates the records within 24 hours of the notification. However, if you need help with how to go about these changes, engage Incorpuk, a reliable business choice formations company. Incorpuk can help to submit your company changes and file a confirmation statement at Companies House.